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Find out more about SSE

At SSE, our job is to provide the energy people need in a reliable and sustainable way. We're involved in producing, distributing and supplying electricity and gas and we provide other energy-related services as well. SSE is the only company listed on the London Stock Exchange involved in such a wide range of energy businesses.

At a glance

Our strategy

SSE's strategy is to deliver the efficient operation of, and investment in, a balanced range of economically-regulated and market-based businesses in energy production, storage, transmission, distribution, supply and related services in the energy markets in Great Britain and Ireland.

The energy market is changing, and so are we

Our business is built on our customers. We value each and every one of them and want to build engaged, informed, long-term relationships with them based on the value we offer. It’s the only sustainable way to do business. This document sets out exactly what we are doing to build and sustain those customer relationships.

The energy retail market is in the midst of a radical transformation. It’s come a long way since it was first privatised and is changing fast. It’s more competitive, with over 40 suppliers giving customers more choice than ever before. It’s easier and faster to switch than it’s ever been. Smart meters will engage and empower customers and this digital upgrade to the energy system will open the door for all sorts of companies and enterprises to enter the market and create innovative, tailored products and services that make customers’ lives easier.

Rising to new expectations…In this environment we can’t take any of our customers for granted – and we don’t. In order to meet our customers’ rapidly changing expectations, we’re changing too. We’ve totally transformed our digital services, making it quick and simple for customers to deal with us. We offer market-leading deals in phone, broadband and boiler cover, not just energy. Through smart we’re offering to visit every customer’s home to provide them with energy efficiency advice and better information. And we’re developing new services that will in time enable SSE customers to manage and control all the appliances and essential services in their homes from the palms of their hands. The service we offer customers is already unrecognisable even from a few years ago.

While delivering on the basics…We also work hard to get the basics right. That means resolving problems quickly and we’ve shown that we do just that by leading the industry in the Citizens Advice Energy Supplier Performance report. Though we can’t control the cost of energy, it also means providing a simple range of energy tariffs for customers to choose from, at a fair price, as well as providing them with the prompts and information they need to make active, informed decisions – whether that’s the flexibility of a standard variable tariff or the peace of mind of a fixed-term deal. It means recognising that different customers have different needs and being able to cater for vulnerability in all its forms. It means rewarding customers’ loyalty and giving them reasons to stay with us.

Fair profits, put to good use…Finally, it means being transparent about the profit we make so that customers can judge whether they are getting a fair deal. On average we make a profit of around 5p in the pound from our gas and electricity customers, before we pay our taxes, which we think is fair. And we put this profit to good use, employing over 20,000 people across Britain and Ireland, investing more each year than we make in profit and making a contribution of over £8bn a year to the UK’s economy, according to independent analysis.

This document is just a brief summary of all the action we are taking to inform, engage, serve and reward our valued customers and we look forward to building on this in the coming months and years.

About the author

Will Morris Group Managing Director, Retail

Will Morris is Group Managing Director of SSE's Retail business, having joined the company in 2012 from Intercontinental Hotels Group, where he had been Chief Operating Officer. Will has spent 22 years in blue chip customer facing service businesses - including British Airways and the Walt Disney Company - both in the UK and internationally. At SSE, Will has Management Board-level responsibility for our business in energy supply and energy-related services, working towards the long-term goal of making SSE the number one supplier of energy and related services.

The broadband sector is like an eighteen year old. It’s technically an adult and has an adult’s responsibilities, but doesn’t always act like it. Broadband, has become an essential service. More and more of what we do relies on us having a decent broadband connection. Like it or not, it’s a sector that needs to mature.

With the Conservative and Labour manifestos expected this week it seems likely that some form of government intervention in the energy supply market is now probable after the general election. It appears that some form of ‘cap’ on household tariffs will be introduced.